Meta, YouTube found liable in US social media addiction trial

A jury on Wednesday found tech giants Meta and Google-owned YouTube liable on all charges in the landmark Los Angeles social media addiction trial.

The jury said they failed to warn users about their platforms’ addictive nature, after hearing arguments over whether Instagram and YouTube were tailored to addict young users and cause mental harm.

The jurors awarded a 20-year-old American, identified as Kaley (K.G.M.), $3 million in compensatory damages; Meta’s share is 70%, while YouTube will pay 30%. Punitive damages are likely to be awarded.

In the 2023 lawsuit, Kaley claimed major social media companies designed their platforms to be addictive. In January, she settled with TikTok and Snap, Snapchat’s parent company, for undisclosed terms.

The plaintiff said she began using YouTube and Instagram at ages 6 and 9, arguing that features like auto-scrolling got her hooked to the platforms, and caused anxiety, depression, isolation, and self-harm.

Several tech leaders testified at the 6-week trial, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri, and YouTube’s VP of Engineering Cristos Goodrow.

Meta said it “respectfully” disagrees with the verdict and is “evaluating our legal options.” The company faces more similar lawsuits filed by teenagers, school districts, and state attorneys general.

The lawyers for K.G.M., in a joint statement, described the judgment as “a historic moment” for thousands of children and their families, saying it is “bigger than one case.”

They accused social platforms of profiting from “targeting children while concealing their addictive and dangerous design features,” calling the decision “a referendum from a jury to an entire industry.”

The LA ruling comes a day after a similar verdict was reached in a case in New Mexico, where a jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million for violating consumer protection laws.